Hiking Crisis
by cleodaze
Summary: Sometimes hiking can lead to something unexpected.


I have a hard time searching for the title, but none of it were good. Hiking Crisis is the best title I could think of (I know I suck at title and summary, sorry). I got this idea when my cousin told me her hiking trip. So hope you guys like it!

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Hiking Crisis

"ICHIGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO," Isshin's voice was heard from down stairs and in a matter of seconds he already at Ichigo's bedroom giving him a flying kick. Unfortunately for Isshin, Ichigo managed to evade the attacks that his father gave him.

"Will you ever learn?! It's 6 o'clock in the morning! And it's freaking SATURDAY!" he shouted at his annoying father as he tried to support his body on his bed with his hands. "I'm going back to sleep," after that he pulled his blanket to cover his body.

"Sorry son no can't do. We all are going hiking!!" Isshin clapped his hands and continued shouting, "Karin, Yuzu, start packing. We're going hiking!" and he ran out of the room, probably going packing.

Ichigo lazed stiffly on his bed. "We're what?!" he couldn't believe his ears.

"Yay! We are going hiking! Get up Ichi-nii, and pack up!" said a very happy Yuzu. She already started stuffing Karin stuff and hers in their bag. Whereas Isshin had finished packing and waited for them at the front door.

Ichigo gave his best effort to stand up and joined his abnormal family, packing stuff that he thought he might need it later. After finished that, he took his bath and get ready with a suitable outfit. He carried his bag and strolled down the stairs. When he arrived at the front door, he noticed that all his family had waited for him. Then his eyes turned to meet a dark haired violet eyed girl.

"Rukia?" he was surprised. _I thought she still in the closet. Wait, she packed too? But how? Did dad invite her? Did she come home using the front door or something and dad saw her? Or…_

"Oh Ohayou Kurosaki-kun!" Rukia said in her fake high school girl voice, which Ichigo hated more than anything.

"Yeah, what ever. Let's get this over with," he said. But deep inside, he was happy that she joined them. At least he wouldn't get bored in this hiking trip.

"Okay! Come on, get in the car!" Isshin shouted as he picked up the bags and put it in the car trunk.

"Hey Rukia," Ichigo hissed so that only she can hear.

"What?" she hissed back.

"How did you join this trip? Did dad ask you? He didn't know you sleep in my closet, did he?" Ichigo asked her, his scowl face showed a little hint of curiosity.

"No, he didn't know. I was taking a morning walk just now, and when I was on my way at the pavement to jump on your window to slide back in, he saw me and invited me. So I accepted his offer," she explained to him, still keeping her voice low.

"Oh," was his replied.

Once every body had settled in the car, they drove off.

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They had arrived at their destination. Karakura's hill. Not really a high hill, but suitable enough for hiking with its beautiful scenery that they could see on the hill, the fresh air and the animals that inhabits the hill. Isshin open the car trunk and everybody took their things and ready for the adventure that Isshin had planned for them.

"Okay, let's hike!" Isshin started climbing up the hill, followed by Yuzu and Karin, and last but not least, Ichigo and Rukia.

"We are hiking up the mountain, here we hike, we are hiking up the mountain, and here we hike, we are hiking up the mountain, hiking up the mountain, hiking up the mountain here we hike!" Isshin and Yuzu sang cheerfully, while Karin just miming to the song.

"Remind me why I'm here…" Ichigo looked at his crazy father and his two sisters and shock his head.

"They are your family you know. At least be a little supportive." Rukia took a quick glance at him.

"Yeah, thank for making me remember that I related to that dummy. Seriously, I don't know how he become a doctor," Ichigo shrugged.

"Don't ever judge the book by its cover," she smirked.

"Uh, just hope we arrived soon. My stomach is already 'singing' a rock song and I even might sing along."

Rukia smiled. Well, there was still 200 meter until they reached the camp site on the top of the hill where they will be having a picnic there. Ichigo, who didn't know that fact, raised an eyebrow when he saw Rukia smiled.

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They took a break after a very long and tiring hiking. Rukia sat on the log and hydrated herself. Yuzu and Karin sat beside her while Ichigo and Isshin just stood there also drank their water. After gaining backs some of their lost energy, Isshin shouted, "Come my children, we continue our journey!"

"Yeah dad, you don't have to shout or I need a hearing aid soon," Karin told her dad while rolling her eyes. "Come on Yuzu."

"Okay Karin," Yuzu followed her twin sister.

"Oi Rukia, we better get going," said Ichigo. Then, his eyes widen as he saw Rukia almost faint when she tried to stand. "Hey Rukia, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, is just that I can't walk faster in this gigai, and it worn me off," she said, panting. She used the tree as her support to stand. Right now, she was feeling like her body had been stuffed with rocks or something because she felt really heavy she couldn't stand and her head was spinning.

Yuzu turned around when she realized that her brother and Rukia-chan still on their rest spot. "Hey Ichi-nii, Rukia-chan, aren't you guys coming?" she asked. Karin and Isshin also stopped to look at them.

"You guys go ahead, we'll catch up," Ichigo waved his hand.

"Alright Ichi-nii but be careful," Yuzu said and followed her sister and father. Karin raised her eyebrows, and her face showed a slight concerned but continued hiking nonetheless.

Isshin grinning widely. "Good luck son! Don't take it too long!" he gave Ichigo a thumb up and ran to his daughters.

"Why you," Ichigo narrowed his eyes and ready to go gave his father his piece of mind but stopped when he heard Rukia yelp. He turned back at Rukia and saw her falling. He quickly grabbed her before her fall. "Hey, you okay? You look sick, you sure want to continue?"

She just nodded her head and tried her best to stand up. She conferred Ichigo her sincere smile and said "I'm okay. Let's go."

Ichigo took Rukia's hand and put it on his shoulder while his other hand wrapped around her shoulder. They resume their journey.

They walked extra slow because of Rukia's condition. Also they made a lot of break to rest a bit. Ichigo is really worried. "Since when you had this kind of effect when wearing a gigai? As far as I know, you never had any difficulties whatsoever before."

Rukia shrugged. "I don't really know. Maybe because I used kidou to much while we fighting hollows, it worn me off, I guest."

"We'll go see Urahara after this and asked him," he insisted as they continued.

"Yeah," she replied.

Karakura hill is a very peaceful place. Sometimes you could hear the birds and insect, the blowing wind, it was relaxing. But Rukia didn't feel it, all she felt was pain._ This is weird, what is wrong with me?_

There was a rough path ahead. It had a lot of rocks and trees. And there were also slopes and cliffs. It was pretty narrow. Ichigo looked at Rukia, "are you sure you can climb this?"

She looked at the path. It sure looked hard but she's a Kuchiki, she can do this. "Hmm, I mean yeah," her face grimace.

And so, they climbed it. She was out of breath, tired, exhausted. Ichigo could see that. "Rukia, if you want to stop, we-"

"No." Rukia cut him before he could finish his sentence.

"Don't be so stubborn Rukia, you are beat. We take a break."

"No I'm fine."

"But Rukia-"

"Just walk. Please."

"Oi midget, I'm just trying to help."

Rukia pull her self away from Ichigo and tried her best to climb the hill but unluckily she failed. She slipped and fall into the slope, but she managed somehow to hold on to the branch tree and hung there. She held the branch tightly.

"RUKIA!" Ichigo shouted. "Here, take my hand," he thrust his hands out to reach her.

Rukia used all the energy she had left to reach Ichigo's hand. _Don't look down, don't look down, don't look down,_ she keep on chanting. "Ichigo, I can't reach it."

"Yes you can, damn it. Try pushing yourself. Just try," he pleaded. _Please Rukia, don't give up._

"I had no energy left," she panted. "Ichigo, I can't do it," she said between breaths.

"No! No matter what don't give up, ever. Rukia, do you hear me?" Ichigo shouted again. He tried to lower his hand more so he could reach her but no luck. _Think Ichigo, think!_ Then he got an idea.

"Rukia, hang in there. I got an idea," he yelled

She couldn't answer him. She was tired. She doesn't know how much longer she could hang on to the branch. She just hoped that what ever he do, Ichigo do it fast.

Ichigo rushed to take his backpack off his back. He took a rope and pushed the bag aside. He tied the rope to his waist and the other end to the tree. He lowered himself carefully. He thrust his hand again. "Now Rukia, take my hand," he said.

She breathe in for a moment before took his hand. It slipped at first but Ichigo caught her hands the second time, hugged her tight and pulled them back up. He tried hard to keep Rukia from falling and to pull them up. After struggling and pushing himself to his limit, he finally managed to get them up. Ichigo put Rukia first and dragged himself next. He sat while catching his breath, his back lean against the tree and Rukia was safely on his arm.

"Oh thank god you okay, don't you dare do that again midget," Ichigo hugged her tighter until she can't even breathe.

"Why?" she was so tired but she needed to know. Why did he save her? Why did her worried about her? "You worried," she blurted out.

"You asked me why? It is because I need you, I care for you and I love you, that are why," he exclaimed, unaware of what he said at all. He still didn't let her go, because he was afraid she might collapse.

"You love me?"

_Oh no,_ Ichigo thought. _I said it out loud, didn't I?_ But he nodded anyway. Then, she passed out.

__________

Rukia felt like her head was on a roller coaster. She couldn't think of what happen. She sat up, using her arm to support her. She looked around and saw a very bright light. It looked like… wait, that's Ichigo, a sleeping Ichigo! What happened? She tried to sit properly to get a better view but flinched at the pain. Ichigo woke up. He lifted his head only to find Rukia's frowned face.

"Rukia, you awake," he helped her sat up. "Are you okay?"

Rukia's eyes broaden. Everything came back to her mind. "Oh shit," she spat out.

"What?" asked a panic Ichigo.

"That was just a dream," she lowered her head.

"What was just a dream?" Ichigo was confused.

"Nothing," she said. She was not going to tell him that she had dreamt them going hiking, she sick, slipped on the slope, falling off the cliff and he confessed his love for her.

"What ever. The doctor said that you just tired and there is no need to worry about it. But you still need to stay here for tonight. Dad, Yuzu and Karin had just went back home. They had to go back because the twin needs to sleep. Urahara also came to visit you just now, and he agreed with the doctor. There is nothing wrong with the gigai, you were just tired. Plus, your power isn't recover fully yet so you are worn off. Geez, you really need to take my advice sometime and relax. You work too much y-"

"Wait," Rukia cut him. She tried to process what ever that he said just now. Her brain seems to work very slowly. "You mean I didn't dream about the hiking thing?" she asked.

"Dream? Uh, no. we **were** hiking, then you got tired and fall into the cliff, and I help you, then you collapse. Why do you think you're in a hospital?" Ichigo furrowed his eyebrows.

"Hospital?" she gasped. Then she realized it. She was in a hospital, lying on hospital's bed, with Ichigo sleeping beside her, taking care of her. Then she remembered. Her eyes widen again, then narrowed. "So did you really?" she questions him. "I mean," she felt a sudden blush raising in her face.

"I what?" he was clueless at first, then he understand. "Oh, yeah."

He looked at her reaction. She lowered her head, her hands curled into a fist. He thought it's time to make some explanation.

"Look Rukia. I don't know when I started to acknowledge this feeling, but I just know that you're the one for me. I can't help to smile when you smile, cry when you cry, and laugh when you laugh. I thought I lost my mind, but now I know I'm not. I just need you. When I saw you fall into that cliff, I thought I'm going to loose you. I felt like half of me falling with you too. And if you… if you died, I think I couldn't live anymore. And I love you, I don't know if you feel the same way but I just want you to know I love you."

He scratched his back head, took a quick glance at her. Then he heard her said "idiot, of course I love you too," he couldn't stop himself from smiling.

He stood in front of her, sat beside her on the bed, lifted her head up with his hand and looked into her beautiful amethyst eyes. "I'm just glad I'm not the only one," and he leaned down to kiss her. At first, she was shock, but then she settled down and kissed him back. A light kiss turned to be a passion kiss. Ichigo pulled her close to deepen the kiss. She circled her hand on his neck. Then they broke apart to breathe.

"And do not, ever, scare me like that. You almost give me a heart attack you know, faint in the middle of hiking? Do you know I had to carry you to meet dad who already reach the peak and had picnic with Karin and Yuzu, which I didn't have time to have one, and my stomach is screaming for it! And carried you back down the hill and headed for the hospital. So now, rest. Don't make me do that again," he looked at her eyes.

Slap.

"What was that for?!" Ichigo rubbed his cheek, rather annoyed.

"Firstly, thanks for helping me. Second, sorry you had to do all that but you don't have to say like you were force to do it!" she screamed.

"Shhh. Quiet, this is a hospital, midget. And no, I was not force to do it, the same as I am willing to do this," then, he kissed her again.

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A/N: So? How was it? Okay? Not bad? ...?

Thank for reading and Read and Review!


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